Technology: Power tools lose their bad vibrations

Three squashed balls could help to protect the hands and fingers of thousands of demolition and construction workers around the world. The balls form part of a unique damping system designed to prevent the vibrations of powerful pneumatic chisels and hammers from damaging the hands of operators.

Many construction and demolition workers become disabled by a condition called 'vibration white finger'. The constant vibration as the workers dig or chisel reduces blood circulation to the fingertips, and as capillaries contract there is gradual loss of sensation. Eventually, fingers can become gangrenous and drop off.

According to the Health and Safety Executive in Britain, 5400 cases were diagnosed in the year 1990/91, double the number for the previous year. A proposed European directive will attempt to tackle the problem by giving workers the right to take regular breaks from their work.

Power tools recently launched in Britain by the US-based toolmaker ...

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